KAMPALA
Wild allegations of embezzlement, abuse of office continue to raise in the opposition FDC with two factions formed in the party ahead of the structure elections.
The two factions one led by the party spokesperson also the Kiira municipality member of parliament Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda and another headed by the Secretary General Hon. Nathan Nandala Mafabi are pointing accusation fingers to each other of getting money from the ruling NRM and secret plans to trade the party to other political groups.
Accusations stem from unknown sources of money estimated at Shs7b which the party SG allegedly received to finance 2021 general elections.
The Ssemujju fact is indirectly working under the stewardship of Dr. Kizza Besigye Kifefe – party’s founding president and the Kampala Lord Mayor counsel Erias Lukwago while the accused fact is headed by SG Mafabi, party president Eng Patrick Oboi Amuriat.
MP Ssemujju on Monday revealed that the money was received by Mafabi and that it was shared with Amuriat with intentions to exchange the party to NRM and also weaken the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) structures in Buganda where as the Mafabi fact accuse MP Ssemujju and his cliques of selfish ambitions for power and the prospect of getting rich by assuming leadership of the party.
The group further allege that the former party president, Col Dr Kizza Besigye Kifefe is fueling the internal fights in the party through his self proclaimed People’s Government.
“Today the FDC finds herself having two competing centers of power, one residing in No. 6 Katonga road and the other at Najjanankumbi. Both these centers of power are fighting for the same political space. There is a need to harmonize the relationship between the two,” Amuriat told journalists at Najjanankumbi on Wednesday.
In a separate media briefing at Katonga road offices on Wednesday however, Dr. Kizza Besigye fired back to SG Mafabi fact that they are practicing tribalism something that is more dangerous to the party.
First forward, speaking to journalists at Najjanankumbi, Mafabi alleged that Hon. Ssemujju is fraudulently drawing public funds in millions of shillings for activities he never undertakes.
He presented different documents detailing “criminality and fraud” that has been perpetuated by Ssemujju for over the years threatening to produce more evidence of his fraudulent deals.
“In the course of the last six months alone, Hon. Ssemujju has drawn public funds in millions when he is in two, sometimes three different places at the same time within Uganda and sometimes outside,” Mafabi alleged.
He added that Ssemujju use his powers as the fdc whip in parliament to award himself with foreign trips revealing that he is one of the most traveled members of parliament in the 11th parliament. The highly charged SG further alleged that Hon. Ssemujju known of attacking president Museveni of practicing open nepotism and favouritism, is employing his relatives in his office at Parliament.
“In all his previous campaigns, Hon. Ssemujju has used huge sums of money in his Campaigns putting up very expensive billboards estimated to billions of money…” he alleged.
On Lord Mayor Lukwago, Mafabi questioned how Lukwago, the instigator of turmoil was paid over Shs500m from government as a court reward yet there are many Ugandans who have had similar court victories and have not been paid.
“Can president Museveni allow such payments if he has no interest in a person like the Lord Mayor?” Mafabi challenged
He threatened to renew and expose claims by president Museveni’s brother, Gen .Salim Saleh of financing Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago’s political activities in Kampala.
In January, handwritten chits purported to be authored by Gen Caleb Akandwanaho alias Salim Saleh addressed to Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago threatened to withdraw political support from the latter. However, Lukwago refuted the chits as craps meant to damage his political career.
“Erias Lukwago goes to court even over the smallest thing,why hasn’t he taken Gen. Salim Saleh to court?I want to request Gen. Saleh to allow me to go after this case because I am one of the best investigators in this country,” Mafabi threatened.
He said MP Ssemujju and Lord Mayor Lukwago are hypocrites who preach water and drink wine challenging them to provide evidence of the allegations against him and president Amuriat and also to come clean over the documents he (Mafabi) tables before the public threatening to issue more evidence of their fraudulent deals.
